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noun Common

Harold

HA-ruhld
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Harold (noun) means In improvised comedy theatre, a long-form structure in which several scenes, characters, and themes are set up early and then woven back together throughout the show. Example: “The troupe closed their set with a twenty-minute Harold built from a single audience suggestion.”

noun
1
In improvised comedy theatre, a long-form structure in which several scenes, characters, and themes are set up early and then woven back together throughout the show.
"The troupe closed their set with a twenty-minute Harold built from a single audience suggestion."

How to use Harold

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA specific style of long-form improv comedy where earlier scenes and jokes come back later in the show.

Memory tip

You will mostly meet this word in the context of improv comedy classes and shows, not everyday conversation.

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Word forms

Plural
Harolds
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The troupe closed their set with a twenty-minute _____ built from a single audience suggestion.

Etymology

Named, somewhat as an in-joke, after the given name Harold by improv pioneer Del Close, who developed the format at Chicago's iO Theater in the 1980s.

· First attested 1980

Class of 1980 Harold joined the language around 1980.
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Frequently asked questions

What does “Harold” mean?
The word “Harold” means in improvised comedy theatre, a long-form structure in which several scenes, characters, and themes are set up early and then woven back together throughout the show. In plain terms, a specific style of long-form improv comedy where earlier scenes and jokes come back later in the show.
How do you pronounce “Harold”?
“Harold” is pronounced HA-ruhld (/ˈhæɹəld/ in IPA).
How do you use “Harold” in a sentence?
Here is “Harold” used in a sentence: “The troupe closed their set with a twenty-minute Harold built from a single audience suggestion.”
What part of speech is “Harold”?
“Harold” is a noun.
Where does the word “Harold” come from?
The word “Harold” dates back to around 1980. Named, somewhat as an in-joke, after the given name Harold by improv pioneer Del Close, who developed the format at Chicago's iO Theater in the 1980s.
Is “Harold” a common word?
“Harold” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is Harold capitalized when it refers to the improv form?
Yes. Harold usually keeps its capital H even in the improv sense, because it comes from the personal name. Performers treat it as a countable noun, speaking of "doing a Harold" or being on "a Harold team."
What is the difference between a Harold and other long-form improv?
"Long-form" is the umbrella term for extended improvised pieces, and the Harold is one specific long-form structure. Its defining feature is architecture: several scenes, characters, and themes are established early in the show and then deliberately woven back together as it develops.
What is the difference between a Harold and a montage in improv?
A montage is a loose sequence of improvised scenes that do not have to connect, while a Harold is a structured form in which the scenes, characters, and themes introduced early are intentionally revisited and interlaced later in the show. The Harold therefore rewards callbacks and pattern-building far more than a montage does.

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Words that start with H